1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to retractable mud flaps and more particularly pertains to a new retractable mud flap assembly for being able to retract the mud flaps when the box of the dump truck is raised.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of retractable mud flaps is known in the prior art. More specifically, retractable mud flaps heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,507,513; 3,582,109; 4,221,432; 2,872,211; 6,139,062; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 282,158.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new retractable mud flap assembly. The prior art includes mud flap members being rolled up with rollers into housings.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new retractable mud flap assembly which has many of the advantages of the retractable mud flaps mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new retractable mud flap assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art retractable mud flaps, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a housing having front, top, side, and bottom walls, and also having an open back end, and a hole being disposed through the front wall with the housing being adapted to be attached to either a vehicle or a trailer above rear tires thereof; and also includes bracket members being attached to the housing for fastening the housing to either the vehicle or trailer; and further includes a mud flap support member being movably disposed in the housing; and also includes a mud flap member being attached to the mud flap support member and being movably disposed in and from the housing; and further includes an assembly for moving the mud flap support member and the mud flap member. None of the prior art includes threaded shafts which are screws for moving a mud flap member in and out of the housing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the retractable mud flap assembly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new retractable mud flap assembly which has many of the advantages of the retractable mud flaps mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new retractable mud flap assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art retractable mud flaps, either alone or in any combination thereof.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new retractable mud flap assembly for being able to retract the mud flaps when the box of the dump truck is raised.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new retractable mud flap assembly that is easy and convenient to attach to the box of a truck.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new retractable mud flap assembly that prevents the mud flaps from breaking off when the box is tilted.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.